The present invention generally relates to packaging machinery and systems for packaging articles in containers or cartons. In particular, the present invention relates to a carton feeding system for feeding cartons into a product-packaging machine for packaging selected series or groups of articles or products passing through the packaging machine.
The packaging of goods such as packaging soft drink cans or bottles in cartons for formation of beverage xe2x80x9ctwelve-packs,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ceight-packs,xe2x80x9d or other arrangements, has been performed as an automated operation in the packaging field for a number of years. Typically, in such an automated packaging operation, individual cartons generally are selected from a stack or magazine of cartons by a carton feeder for feeding each carton into the packaging machine where they are generally deposited onto a selected group after which the cartons are wrapped or engaged about a series of products such as a twelve-pack of soft drink bottles or cans. Given the positioning of conventional product selector mechanisms for the packaging machine, which select and segregate groups of products into sets of, for example, twelve, eight, etc., it generally has been preferred to position the carton feeder for such automated systems above the product conveying line in order to give the maximum clearance or room for the selector mechanisms. In many instances, such as where multiple lanes of products are being moved through the packaging machine, the size and/or configuration of the product selector mechanisms further can prevent or restrict the positioning of the carton feeding system along the sides of the conveying lines. As a result, such carton feeding systems generally are positioned above the lanes of products moving through the packaging machine and feed the cartons into an overlying position on top of the products, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, to provide the maximum clearance and room for the selector mechanisms to operate.
As shown in FIG. 1, such systems typically include a rotary feeder 1 that pulls the carton 2 from a carton magazine 3 and deposits the cartons on a first, transfer conveyor 4 below the feeder. The cartons are then conveyed to an overhead lug or transport conveyor 6 that conveys the cartons into engagement with products 7 passing therebeneath. With such a system, however, the size of products that can be packaged with such an arrangement typically is limited given the required clearances between the feeder and transfer conveyor, and between the transfer conveyor and the overhead lug or transport conveyor for receiving and feeding the cartons into an overlying relationship over the products. In addition, the size and/or configuration of the products that can be used in such a system likewise generally is limited as, for example, if the products are short, the lower or transfer conveyor can interfere with the mechanisms therebelow. Further, such systems generally require several transfers or hand-offs of the cartons, thus increasing the potential for misfeeding of the cartons.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a carton feeding system for a product-packaging machine that addresses these related and unrelated problems in the art.
The present invention generally comprises an improved carton feeding system for feeding cartons from a stack or magazine of cartons into an overlying relationship with a series or groups of products or articles passing through a product-packaging machine for packaging the articles in the cartons. The carton feeding system can be used with various types of product-packaging machines running one or multiple lanes or lines of products and typically will be mounted above the lanes of products for feeding the cartons into an overlying relationship over selected groups of the products. The carton feeding system further can be adjusted to accommodate varying sizes of cartons and product sizes and configurations, such as, for example, for forming six, eight, or twelve packs of bottles or cans.
The carton feeding system generally has an upstream, input end and a downstream or discharge end and includes a frame that rotatably supports a carton feeder in a spaced position above the product lanes. The frame generally includes a pair of structural frame plates supporting the carton feeding system in a desired orientation or angle with respect to the product lanes, and a pair of feeder support plates movably mounted on support rods attached to the structural frame plates. The feeder support plates are laterally adjustable with respect to the structural frame plates by operation of a side adjustment mechanism or system to accommodate varying size cartons. The carton feeding system also includes vertical and lateral adjustment mechanisms engaged by a manually operated or automated controls to accommodate different sizes and configurations of products and cartons, and differing numbers of lanes of products passing through the product-packaging machine.
The carton feeder typically is a rotary type carton feeder having a series of carton engaging assemblies, each including spaced vacuum cups connected to a vacuum system. The vacuum cups typically are rotated into engagement with and pick the cartons from a carton magazine or supply and thereafter move the cartons along a feed path into the product-packaging machine. A carton guide assembly is mounted to the feeder support plates, and extends substantially along the feed path of the cartons from a point approximately adjacent the pick point at which the vacuum cups engage and pick the cartons from the magazine, to a drop point at the second or downstream end of the carton feeding system. The carton guide assembly generally includes a pair of guide tracks extending along the frame of the feeder support plates. Each guide track defines a pathway or guide channel along its length, in which a guide chain or belt is received. Each chain includes a series of lugs attached thereto for engaging and urging the cartons along the carton feeder toward the drop point. The pathway formed in each of the guide tracks generally includes a first section or upstream portion spaced from the cartons and vacuum cups to maintain the lugs out of engagement with the cartons; a second, intermediate or transition section angled slightly outwardly so as to guide the lugs toward engagement with the cartons; and a third or downstream portion extending substantially parallel to the path of the cartons, along the carton feeding system for the drop point of the cartons.
The carton guide assembly further generally includes a pair of spaced chute plates, each mounted to a feeder support plate. Each of the chute plates generally includes a first or input end positioned adjacent and slightly downstream from the carton pick point to a distal end adjacent the drop point for the cartons, and provides a guide surface for supporting the outer edges of each of the cartons. The chute plates further generally include lug receiving slots or openings for receiving the lugs of the guide chain therethrough as the lugs engage and urge the cartons along a feed path toward the drop point. A central guide plate generally is positioned intermediate or between the chute plates, and a series of guide bars can be extended along the lower part of the carton feeding system approximately parallel to the feed path of the cartons for supporting and guiding the center portion of each of the cartons as the cartons are fed toward their drop point.
Various objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.